Bellator MMA’s season continues with the finals of the light heavyweight and lightweight tournaments, keep it locked to MMA Sucka for up to date play by play and reults for the main card’s coverage.
Rodrigo Lima vs. Ronnie Mann
Round one:
Mann fires a kick, Lima answers with a looping hook. The former featherweight gets tagged coming in with another hook before connecting with a power shot of his own. Mann hits a leg kick and gets punched for it, Lima looking for a single-leg takedown to no avail. Lima steps in with a two punch combo. Mann is the aggressor but Lima is having success with his counter punching. Lima stuns Mann with a shot, the Brit is hurt and Lima continues to pour on the pressure but Mann seems to have recovered. Mann gets countered again, takes a leg kick and gets tagged with a hard overhand right. Mann tags Lima, pushes him against the fence and they exchange in tight, both landing significant damage. Less than a minute on the clock, Mann tries a leg kick and countered with a overhand right as the round expires, 10-9 Lima.
Round two:
Tentative start from the pair of bantamweight prospects, Mann catches a leg and tags the Brazilian, not opting to use it to get the takedown. Mann tags Lima but eats a two punch combo before Mann pushes him against the fence, hitting an elbow on the break. Lima gets a clean shot that snaps his head back. Mann misses with a looping shot, Lima answering with a shot, crisp punch. Mann showing no sense of urgency, stalking the Brazilian and hitting with a shot. Lima closes the distance and ties up in the clinch, Mann exiting the clinch with a nice knee to the forehead. Mann hits Lima who answers with the better shot, the Brit attempting to clinch, eats a thunderous punch before pushing him against the fence as the round closes, 10-9 Lima.
Round three:
The final frame opens with a low kick from Lima who continues with a nice combo. Mann is tired and doesn’t have the physical speed advantages that he had ten pounds higher. Lima hits with a body shot before Mann thrusts him against the fence, they scramble to the floor with Lima taking top position in half-guard. The Brazilian is landing shots but the guard of Mann is making things difficult. Lima hits with an elbow, he continues to land shots, they’re not knockout blows but they are taking their toll. Mann scrambles, almost giving up his neck but he gets out and jumps down to the floor, falling straight into a triangle attempt from Lima. The choke isn’t tight enough but Lima is firing elbows as the fight comes to a close, 10-9 Lima (30-27 Lima)
Rodrigo Lima def. Ronnie Mann via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Trey Houston vs. Luis Melo
Round one:
Houston lands a shot and pushes Melo against the fence, both men exchanging hard with shots, Houston throwing Melo to the canvas with a body lock. Melo pushes Houston off him as we go back to the feet, Melo tagging Houston with one of the nastiest nut shots I’ve seen in this sport, ouch! Houston doesn’t take long, straight back to the action. Melo takes him down immediately, hitting with his hammer fists. Melo is in half-guard landing shots, Houston looks very uncomfortable on his back. Melo is really active with his ground and pound, standing upright he fires a hard shot down that stuns Houston. Houston gets back to the feet but eats a knee. Pushed against the fence, Houston fires a failed uppercut on the break. Houston tags Melo but closed the distance and got taken down for it. With seconds on the stopwatch Melo goes back to his active ground and pound as the round closes, 10-9 Melo.
Round two:
The Brazilian veteran gets hit with a head kick, Houston turning up the heat and coming in with shots, Houston tags Melo with a shot that sends him crashing to the floor. Houston goes to the mat and looking for a choke but Melo survives but he is still in trouble here. In side control, Houston lands an elbow before standing and forcing the Brazilian to come and trade. Melo tags Houston now and drags him to the floor. In full-guard Melo uses his triangle attempt to pass the guard and gets to north-south position briefly. The Brazilian is all over Houston with punches, similar to the fight prior it’s just the accumulative effect that is hurting Houston. Melo is active with his ground and pound but Houston is answering with elbows from bottom but clearly has nothing for the BJJ black belt on the canvas. Turtled Houston is being hit by Melo, the American rolls to get out but Melo sticks to him like glue with a body lock, landing punches, 10-9 Melo.
Round three:
The final frame opens with Melo firing a knee. Houston hits Melo, gets in close with a shot but gets taken down, he needs to get back to his feet to have a chance at prevailing as the victor. Melo is tired but continues to be active with punches, stepping over to mount with ease and sinking in a fight-ending arm-traingle choke on the exhausted American.
Luis Lima def. They Houston by submission (arm triangle) at 1:09 of Round 3
Saad Awad vs. David Rickels
Round one:
Rickels hits a pair of leg kicks, Awad moving forward with his punches and testing the theory of his beard providing protection with those hard shots. Rickels counters with a hard shot of his own. Rickels connects with a high kick, Awad is on the hunt tagging with his low kick and moving forward with his powerhouse shots before throwing Rickels to the ground with ease. Awad is in full-guard, Rickels is comfortable on his back though. Rickels uses the fence to get back up but Awad keeps hold of him with a body lock. Firing knees to the leg, Awad drags “The Caveman” back down. Awad is forced to his feet and throws down an axe kick before going back to the mat. Awad looks for a guillotine-choke but doesn’t get close and the round expires, 10-9 Awad.
Round two:
Awad catches a kick, isn’t able to force the takedown though. Awad pushes him against the fence and gets it this time. Heading into full-guard, Awad hits with a punch before Rickels sits up and gets to the feet. Awad attempts a takedown but Rickels winds up getting him down and firing elbows from side-control. Awad turns the tables on Rickels with ease. Rickels, the former welterweight tries to get to his feet but is smothered from Awad. Rickels targets an omoplata but Awad remains in control on the floor, despite Rickels having more activity. Awad hits with an elbow, hitting Rickels with a punch to the torso as he goes back to the floor. Elbows from Awad as Rickels wall-walks to the feet and eats a hard shot. Awad tries for a takedown but Rickles throws hard shots, that sends Awad crashing to the floor. A lot of controversy here but it seems that Awad stayed down believing the round was over and Troy Waugh stopped the fight.
David Rickels def. Saad Awad by TKO (strikes) at 4:49 of round 2
Emanuel Newton vs. Mikhail Zayats
Round one:
Newton hits a leg kick, nails a nice overhand right. Catching a leg, Newton fires a hard shot to Zayats and looks to take him to the floor but has no success. Zayats tags a charging Newton, hits his American counterpart as he attempts to spin, that could’ve been a lot worse for Newton. The American throws an overhand right, Zayats coming in close and tagging up Newton. Long shot from Zayats, tags Newton as he comes in again, Newton looks a little wobbly but throws Zayats to the ground. In full-guard Newton hits an elbow. Zayats uses the cage to get back to his feet, pushing Newton against the fence but Newton gets him down again from a nice body lock. Zayats transitions and looks for a guillotine-choke but gives it up shortly after. Pushed against the fence, Newton takes the back of Zayats and lands punches, trying to find an opening for the rear naked choke. Newton fires some shots as the round expires, 10-9 Newton.
Round two:
Zayats tags Newton as the American begins stalking Zayats. Pushing Newton against the fence momentarily, Zayats uses the aggression of Newton against him, landing a nice shot. Spinning hook kick attempt from Newton, Zayats throwing a clubbing shot that barely misses. Newton gets tagged coming in again, missing a spinning kick again and slipping to the floor. Zayats gets hit with a kick and throws a sloppy hook. Newton is stalking, closing the distance and going to the clinch but Zayats evades the takedown attempt. The Russian throws a spinning back fist that just misses, hitting with a nice two punch combo. Newton lands a pair of kicks, Zayats answering with a hard shot. Body locking Newton in the final seconds and dragging him to the floor, 10-9 Zayats.
Round three:
Zayats opens with a nice straight-right. Newton getting in close and hitting with a knee in the clinch, attempting a takedown but the Russian evades it. Battling for position against the fence, Newton again tries the takedown but Zayats avoids it and looks towards a guillotine-choke but no luck. Zayats breaks free from Newton who clubs him with a hard punch. Zayats seems to have cut Newton who has a target from the Russian. Newton tags Zayats and sends him crashing to the floor, attempts a bulldog choke but Zayats gets back to the feet, eating a hard punch as he gets up. Newton hits with a high kick, Zayats coming in with a ranging punch. Zayats seems to have shaken off the cobwebs, getting hit with some nice body kicks from Newton. Zayats charges the American but nothing of significance landing. The Russian is turning up the heat here, shoots for a takedown and gets Newton down briefly, hitting a knee as Newton gets back up. Body kick from Newton, Zayats throws a kick and gets taken down, Zayats attempting an armbar but Newton breaks free and lands a shot as the fight concludes, 10-9 Newton (29-28 Newton)
Emanuel Newton def. Mikhail Zayats by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
